Okay
by wedontstandachance
Summary: "You know," Beth said, looking over at Daryl, who was currently lying next to her in front of their fire, "if the change hadn't happened we probably woulda never met." Or, where Beth doesn't get kidnapped. Her and Daryl are still alone, not knowing whether or not the rest of the group is alive, and they talk about their relationship. Bethyl DarylxBeth


**AN: So I just found this on my computer. I wrote this awhile ago and never posted it, figured I might as well. Takes place during a timeline where Beth does not get kidnapped.**

"You know," Beth said, looking over at Daryl, who was currently lying next to her in front of their fire, "if the change hadn't happened we probably woulda never met."

He considered that for a moment, pursing his lips. "I reckon you're right. Good thing too. You'da hated me."

"Oh stop," she said dismissively.

"I'm serious. You never woulda given me a second look in the old world."

"Don't say that." She frowned. "You can't possibly know that for sure."

"It's true," he said. "I'd still be just some asshole, redneck, nobody. No one you'd wanna associate with."

She propped herself up on an elbow so she could could get a better look at his face. "Well you're still a redneck asshole," she said with a playful smile, "but certainly not a nobody, Mr. Dixon."

He shoved her lightly. "Very funny, Greene."

She laughed airily for a moment, and leaned down to kiss him, before adopting a serious expression. "But really, you don't know that," she said. "You coulda turned your life around."

He smiled sadly. "Yeah, I do know though. I wouldn't have. I'd still be followin' Merle around. Just doin' whatever he wanted."

"You coulda found some reason to," she pressed, her voice full of confidence.

He looked up at her and smiled. "Maybe if I had you around to knock some sense into me."

She smiled back and poked him in the ribs, "Or ya coulda done it for yourself."

He wrinkled his nose in disagreement. "Yeah, I highly doubt that."

"You don't give yourself enough credit," she said sternly.

He was quiet for a long moment before answering. "I think you may think too highly of me, Beth."

She shook her head slowly. "That ain't true. You think too lowly of yourself, Daryl Dixon." He didn't answer. He set his jaw and stared into the fire. After a few moments of silence she turned the conversation back to where they had started initially. "Well, if you're gonna be like then, then you wouldn'ta given me a second look neither. You'd think I was just some kid."

He smiled at her softly, looking relieved for a subject change. "Cause you are," he joked. "I'd just be some old creep in the old world."

He leaned over and wrapped an arm around her and leaned in to bite her shoulder playfully.

"Oh stop," she pushed him away, laughing. "You ain't even that old!"

"Old enough."

"Yeah, well so am I," she insisted. "I ain't a kid no more Daryl, and you know it. I'm a grown woman who can take care of herself!" She smiled brightly at him.

"Yeah, yeah I know all 'bout it," he drawled, and grinned lazily.

"Besides," she continued, "it's not like age matters no more. Not in this world."

"Yeah," he agreed, nodding. "You had to grow up real fast."

"Exactly."

"Hell, you experienced enough loss and heartbreak to last ten lifetimes, I reckon. We all have. That makes you almost elderly if we're goin' by that."

The joking air of the conversation was now gone, replaced with a somber tone. Beth smiled sadly remembering everything she'd lost since the change. Too many loved ones. Too much.

"What were we even talking about?" Beth asked after a moment with a weak chuckle.

Daryl shook his head. "I ain't even sure. What a horrible choice you made throwing in your hand with the likes of me I think."

"I dunno," she said leaning in him. "I think I did pretty good."

"You're probably the only one. Just imagine what the rest of the group would think if they could see us now. Just think of what your daddy would say." He gestured to their entwined bodies.

The smile fell from his face immediately after he realized what he had said. He looked over at Beth feeling guilty for bringing up her father, but she appeared to be fine. She had a sad smile on her face, but it was one that they both wore frequently. The rest of the group was dead as far as they knew, and it was painful to think about them. Especially now, lying together like this. It almost felt wrong for them to be happy when their family was most likely dead.

"Hey," Beth said touching his shoulder lightly, "the rest of the group could still be alive. We got out so we have no reason to believe they didn't."

He tried to take comfort in her words, but couldn't. Good things didn't generally happen anymore, so he had no reason to believe that he and Beth weren't the only survivors from the prison. He chose not to dwell on it. Nothing good would come of it. It would just distract him from the current moment, which was something he wanted to focus on completely.

"My daddy respected you. He thought you were a good man," she said after a moment.

"I can't imagine he'd think the same if he knew I was corrupting his youngest daughter."

He leaned down and pulled her in for a deep kiss, proving his point. Beth locked her arms around his neck and shifted so she was laying half on top of him. When they finally pulled apart they were both breathless.

"I don't think he'd have a problem with it," Beth said breathily.

Daryl laughed sarcastically. "Yeah, sure."

"I'm serious. He knew you were a good man, and he'd think the same now. Don't you dare fight me on that," she said sternly, pointing a finger at him. Then she smiled.

He pulled her closer against his chest. "Yes ma'am."

They laid like that in front of the fire in silence for a long time. They sat watching it crackle, just enjoying one another's company. No matter how shitty things were right now, at least they had each other. That was something. As long as they had each other, he knew they'd be okay.

"You're probably the best thing that's happened in my life," Daryl said breaking the silence. "Not just this one either. Before too."

"I refuse to believe that," Beth said stubbornly.

He kissed the top of her head. "Well believe it darlin', cause it's true."

He felt her smile into his chest. "Yeah, me too."

Yeah, they'd be okay.


End file.
